Hooked into a 4# in some bushes. He was so tangled up by the time i got over to it I couldn't work the line free. I could see the fish but it was out of arms reach. Didn't want to cut my line and leave him hooked. So I grabbed the net, scooped him off the bush, and let my line go backwards through the bush. Saved my rig, landed the fish, released the fish so everything was cool. I was just wondering now, if it would have been in a tournament would that be legit? Is it legal to get that fish that's stuck in a bush with my net?

2 questions i would always ask 1) did you leave the boat? and 2) were you assisted by anyone other than you fishing partner?... otherwise you would have to look at the specific rules for the trail

1 Definitely not it was cold 2 wife on TM Most small tournaments I have been in that's the only rule i thought would apply was leaving the boat. Just making sure there was no grey area I'm missing. I guess maybe one could argue that I couldn't get it all the way to the boat on rod and reel? Or I "fished" it out of bush with my net? I don't know maybe I'm over thinking it but if it was in a tournament I would want to know one way or the other for future reference.

The only thing wrong with that catch is you were NOT in a tournament. When that happens on tournament day, you know everything is going right.

Yep That's my luck. If I enter tournament, it's a donation to the pot, won't catch much. If I'm just on the same lake same day didn't know there was tournament, it will be my best fishing of the month!

it's a legal fish....your situation is no different than hooking a fish,having him jump beside the boat and hook comes out but your partner has the net under him and fish falls into the net...most of us have had that happen several times over the years...and most of us have had fish jump,throw the bait and us or our partner missed the fish with the net...key part of this debate is that you hooked the fish and managed to land him without leaving the boat...